at play
idiom
1
: in the act of playing
the sounds of children at play
2
: being something that helps produce or influence a result
Several issues are at play in determining the price of gasoline.
Examples of at play in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There are also responsible gambling implications at play.
—
Matt Rybaltowski, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
All of our docs really zoom way out and look at the big picture of all the systems at play that go into these extremely vulnerable, intimate stories of human beings.
—Peter White, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2025
On Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. Department of Justice opened an investigation into antitrust practices that might be at play.
—Brian Evans, CNBC, 8 Mar. 2025
But there are really only two mysteries at play here: how will Shula and her cousins, amid so much pretense, bring the truth to light?
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at play
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Matt Rybaltowski, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
All of our docs really zoom way out and look at the big picture of all the systems at play that go into these extremely vulnerable, intimate stories of human beings.
—Peter White, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2025
On Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. Department of Justice opened an investigation into antitrust practices that might be at play.
—Brian Evans, CNBC, 8 Mar. 2025
But there are really only two mysteries at play here: how will Shula and her cousins, amid so much pretense, bring the truth to light?
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for at play
Cite this Entry
“At play.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20play. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.
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